Dysphagia means difficulty swallowing. In dogs the first job is to find which phase of swallowing has failed, because oral, pharyngeal, cricopharyngeal and esophageal problems have different causes and different treatments. Pharyngeal and cricopharyngeal dysphagia look almost the same at home, yet surgery that cures one makes the other worse, so the diagnosis rests on videofluoroscopy.
Key facts
Pharyngeal disease (dysphagia) at a glance- Species and system: dog (also cats); oropharynx and upper esophageal sphincter, gastrointestinal system, with neuromuscular causes.
- Causes: neuromuscular weakness (myasthenia gravis, polymyositis), structural lesions (masses, stick injuries, abscesses), rabies, and cricopharyngeal dysfunction (achalasia or asynchrony).
- Classic presentation: repeated attempts to swallow, gagging, nasal reflux of food and coughing while eating; with cricopharyngeal achalasia, a young dog (often a spaniel) affected from weaning and failing to gain weight.
- Key test: contrast videofluoroscopic swallow study, after survey radiographs of neck and thorax.
- Main complication: aspiration pneumonia.
- Rabies must be considered in any dog with pharyngeal paralysis; handle as a suspect until ruled out.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- How swallowing works and where it fails
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 2 figures, 3 self-test questions and 17 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.